Both sides of neck swelling above collarbone

Find a cure wrote:

tupelosmiley wrote:

My husband has the same problem, swelling on both sides of the neck. We went to his GP and she sent him to have an MRI. It showed no lymph node swelling. Then she sent him to an ENT who said that it was fat pads and nothing to worry about. He said that people come in his office all the time with the same thing, scared to death. He said it's nothing at all to worry about, and very common. I was so glad to hear that!

Hi tupelosmiley. I'm going to apologize if this sounds a little harsh, but I don't believe your doctor. It's very common? Common for what? What caused it? It's not normal. My ENT wanted to do liposuction! My other doctors looked at my like I was a freak because they had never seen anything like it.

I finally found a doctor who said he knows what's causing it and is going to treat it naturally. I've looked into his theory on it and it makes a lot of sense. He said it's a systemic yeast/candida infection and when I looked at all of the symptoms that this can cause and what created it. It seems like it could actually be the reason. I'm starting a detox program this weekend which will go for about 30 days. I'll keep you all posted.

I had C-dif a few years back & ended up literally hours from death. They even sent in the Pastor. They pumped me full of every antibiotic, parasitic, antiviral they had. Thank goodness it finally worked. BUT I still get the swelling in my neck. Hopefully it is the answer for you but maybe not for all.

I went to the Urgent Care Friday night for a second opinion. The doctor admitted he had never seen anything like it but decided to run some blood tests that night. He said he didn't think I had mono but he will test for it anyway because of the swelling of my neck. I called the next morning for my test results and he said everything came out negative except for the Mono test. I tested positive for mono. Aha!!! Finally got an answer!!! This explains the tiredness and my throat had been sore the week before but I just thought it was allergies. The swelling has gone down a little.

How did I get Mononucleosis??? He says it's a common virus.



Docmex, that's a long time for your wife to have the swelling. I know, it looks awful. Have you ruled out Mononucleosis?

I don't know if my WBC is up? What is ABD? Most of my weight is in my belly and arms. You can tell when I have gained weight in my face. I am overweight. All of my health problems started after the loss of my pregnancy in Sept 2009 (I was 5 mos pregnant with a little girl). After that I had gone into a deep depression, gained 30 pounds, PCOS, Insulin resistance and thyroid problems. I believe most of my problems stemed from my emotional well being. I am much better emotionally but I still have the physical problems to work on.

That's the same thing going on with me i went ot the ER but they didn't take a Exray or nothing just gave me a shot on mt buttics and send me home with pain medicatoin ans steriods. i was told it was muscle spasms. then went to my docter he took a exray found nothing. then went for a MAR. have not gottin my resaults yet it has been a week now .Still having pains and swelling some time i can't lift my arms or turn my head.

I recently had surgery to repair a c6 and c7 protrusion, an injury sustained while fighting a fire in January. I had surgery in February and I am currently in rehab for both my neck and a torn rotator cuff (also a result from the work related injury). Since the surgery, I have had difficulty swallowing because the surgeon went in through the front of my neck to get to the discs. My therapists said that this irritation will eventually subside. A few weeks ago, my neck (just above my sternum and below my adam's apple) begin to swell. It is even more difficult to swallow now and I feel like someone is constantly poking my throat. There is a weird soft swelling between my clavicles and trapezius muscles on both sides. This swelling has no warmth to it but it has a strange 'fatty' feel to it. I was wondering what this is? and should I be worried? My therapists have no idea what it could be but they are both concerned. Any suggestions?

about 3 mo. ago saw the neck swellings. my Dr. thinks it might be connected with my MCS( sensitivities to chemicals). had me do c-scan which didn't tell us anything. I will never get another mammogram as I taste metal for a week so I get thermograms which arn't harmful to the body & show everything better. The neck swelling defineately showed up in my thermogram but not as an eminent danger. my thermographer thinks I am not able to clear my lymph glands. I did have fluid on my heart last year which cleared up. stopped salt in case that would help but it didn't. I had a very bad horse fall when 34 (now I'm 62 ) & fell off cliff when hiking at 28 & last year & this have had two hard hits to back & head. Never smoked, don't ever drink or do drugs.  Have always been athletic & outdoorsy.  Was poisioned by Kodak photo chemicals when 42 working in a lab thus became sensitized to all chemical body & laundry fragranced products & house cleaning chemicals, pesticides, new carpets, cig smoke, pressed wood(formaldehyde) etc. Since that initial illness began I have eaten pretty healthy until about 2 year ago started desserts & sweets & stress & gained weight (25 pounds overweight). Walk year round or swim in summer(salt water pool). Had prednisone about 6 years ago for an acute asthma sort of coughing all week attack after cleaning up a friends filthy garage & got exposed to awful who knows what. My neck swelling doesn't subside & it is the fatty type like gel pack you all mention bigger on my left side.  I also have had that left ear itchy & sometimes drains some fluid so I wonder about a connection with that & my teeth also as my thermogram shows heat in a couple of places on my jaws but my dentist says we don't need to pull the 2 teeth but did give me clendomyacin for an infection about 8 mo.? ago & I broke out in a severe entire torso rash that lasted over 1 week.  Once in awile usually my right ear while get like a squishy fluid episode for a day .  I work with others disabled from chemical exposures or mold who are desperate for non-toxic housing rentals & am usually very stressed out by helping them & being a land lady.  I don't get enough sleep. Doubt anything here helps this mystery unfold. I had a partial hysterectomy at 34 due to endrometriosis. Have osteoporosis of spine & ostopenia of neck & hips so take plenty of cal/mag/vit D. My adrenals, & digestive system are affected with MCS as we don't detox properly.  I got the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome(CFIDS) with the MCS but overcame that & did have mono really bad in college. May God bless us all with better health & answers to our problems. 

I have the same symptoms as you, but have not had a cortisone or steroid shot. Mine started after I got Flu vaccine, Pneumonia vaccines, and a Tdap (Tetanus, Diptheria and Pertussis), and had a bad reaction to one of the three.

Hi, I just finished reading through this thread, and only some of it applies to me. I find it interesting that many of the posters have mentioned c6 and c7 spinal protrusions. There's a theory that Fibromyalgia is actually an undiagnosed spinal injury.

I first noticed the gel-like lump above my right clavicle after I had a very bad reaction to a round of vaccines: I got the Influenza, Pneumonia (PPV), and Tetanus w/pertussis (Tdap) shots all at once (nurse made a mistake), and was unable to get out of bed for a few days due to severe muscle cramping and stiffness. Unless the vaccines I was given have Steroids in them, I haven't recevied steroids in quite some time.

Relevent Info:
I am a 26 year old female diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I take Cymbalta (so no, that won't help you..) daily, as well as multivitamins. I have cut out all processed food and fake sugars and eat mostly organic. I am definitely the type of person who gets the weird thing no one's ever heard of (like my reaction to the vaccines), and my doctors have no idea what's going on.

My WBC was slightly elevated, and I have been running a (very) low grade fever for a few months, I think. My temp used to be around 96.5-97 (yes, I know that's low), and has been hovering around 98-99 F every time they take it. I've been tested for Lead poisoning, Hypothyroidism, and been given a chest xray as well as the normal CBC blood test. Everything shows up normal except for a slightly elevated WBC (10.9 K/uL)

My doctor probably rolls her eyes every time she hears from me by now..

I'm a 51 year old male in generally good health...just the common pains associated with getting a bit older.  About a week ago, I noticed the soft gel-like "fat" pads while looking in the mirror that many of you have mentioned.  They are nothing like a nodule or knot.  just soft, pliable and without noticable form. And, while not overtly noticable upon first glance, I notice them...they are located right at the base of my neck at my collarbone, both sides and, until yesterday, the same size on both sides.  Yesterday, it started seeming like the left side was just a tad bigger swelling than the right side(but that might just be my paranoia).  Other than that, I cannot think of any symptoms.  My sister in law is a doctor and when I asked her about them on the phone, she said she is loathe to diagnose anything over the phone, but since there is no pain and the "pads"(for lack of a better term) are more or less symmetrical, then I should not panic, but keep an eye on them and see a doctor if they get worse or if they don't go away within a couple of weeks(if not sooner).  I'd have already gone to the doctor except for the fact that I have no insurance and, given the anguish I've noticed of many of you who are frustrated by the lack of concern or diagnoses on the part of your doctors, I am hesitant to go until I have insurance.  I have NOT taken any cortisone or steroids or any other medication in recent history except for the occasional aspirin or ibuprofen.  I have, however, had four separate gout related flareups within the past 9 months...kidney stones in July 2011, gout inflamation in my elbow in October 2011, gout inflamation in my ankle in December 2011 and gout inflamation in my knee in March 2012.  No weight loss or gain.  No depression(that I'm aware of).  No fever...low or high grade. And, reiterating, no pain as of yet.  Since most of the world is frightened of cancer, of course I'm paranoid about Hodgkins lymphoma, or some other cancer-related or devastating disease.  I DO have three cats, one of which I took in prior to this past Christmas when he was abandoned by his previous owners(so I am unaware of his medical history) and the thought has crossed my mind that my situation might be a "Cat scratch" infection.  I am hoping for the best for all of you, as I am aware that my symptoms are not as dire as most of yours, but I appreciate your contributions and the opportunity to air my concerns.  Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.  Good luck to all of you.

Thanks for the input, OBXScott et all. Clearly, this condition is not limited to women. Enjoy the absence of pain, as it can be achy at times (for me), a 62 old male. My symptoms appeared about 5 months ago and are not improving. Your reference to "cat scratch" is interesting, and brings to mind toxoplasmosis, a potentially serious condition for anyone with a compromised immune system. This parasitic infection remains latent, so symptoms might not occur for years (if at all) until something makes you vulnerable; age, stress, another illness, etc. Let's see whether the other forum contributors are, or have been, cat owners too.

I'm so sorry to hear that you have the same situation as myself. The "pads". How large are yours? Mine can get to the size of a very large egg. They do decrease in size somewhat but never go away anymore. We do not have any cats in our household and never have. I've had these for about 7 years, never any pain which I am grateful for. Reading some of these other poor peoples write ups and the pain they go through is horrible. I am glad that we do have this support system. I have not been back to a doctor because they do not seem to have a clue about this and I don't believe that they are doing any investigative work to find out what is the cause of this unfortunate condition. It does worry me a lot and I am so frustrated about not being able to find out anything on my own. CT Scans and Ultrasounds show, well nothing definitive. Best to you and all of the others afflicted with this condition. Docmex

Docmex, the "pads" are roughly the length and width of an egg, but the depth or "rise" of the swelling is, in my estimation, about 1-3 millimeters. The swelling itself fits perfectly in the slight hollows of my shoulders in front of the top of the trapezius muscle and up to the collarbone on both right and left shoulders.

I too have the swellings on both sides of my neck. They started out smaller and came and went. Now they are there all the time, they can be smaller at times, but get a lot larger like my fist or an egg. None of us so far are getting any help from the medical world. They have no answers and they don't seem to want to recognize the swellings as anything to worry about. I have been to over 40 doctors and several ER's and like Docmex says the doctors are not taking any time to research it. We are all trying to keep each other posted in hopes that some doctor somewhere can get an answer and we can all share in a cure....even just a reason to what's causing it. Keep us posted. My prayers are with all of you......

Can not be a mild form of Cushing syndrome? Stress mental or physical would worsen it. Probbly a good diet helps.

It's not cat scratch. I have 6 cats & 2 dogs & get scratches all the time over my entire life from my critters that I always have . My current crew have all been with me for over 2 years & the cats arn't allowed outside as the coyotes would kill them. Now that you've written in I know it's not just females or anyone 15 to 25 pounds overweight. I walk & swim almost every day up to an hour counting both.. I don't think it is fatty pads. My left side is bigger & I do have something going on with my left ear but that started many months before the neck thing. Best wishes to you & all of us that whatever this is it will not be harmful.